1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printers capable of easily restricting processing required in accordance with input data when the data is input from an external apparatus, for example, to a mechanism for restricting an operation of a printer when data is input to an interface from among a plurality of interfaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
Printers including a plurality of interfaces have been available. In such printers including a plurality of interfaces, when print data is input to different interfaces in parallel, an inconvenience occurs in which outputs based on the inputs via the different interfaces are mixed together. In view of this problem, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-027925 proposes a technology for regulating a receiving operation for print data received via a plurality of interfaces such that outputs based on receiving jobs of the respective interfaces are not mixed together.
In a case where a printer is installed in a public space, such as a library or a school, restricting an input via an unused interface is desired. For example, in a case where a printer is installed in a library, a restriction is placed on what users can print. In this case, for example, only a search result of a library holding list is set as an object to be printed. However, for example, if a notebook computer or the like is connected via an unused interface, such as a universal serial bus (USB), printing can be performed. As a result, invalid printing can be permitted.
In the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-027925, in a case where print data is received via any interface, if other interfaces are not used, a recording operation for a recording medium is performed in accordance with the received print data. Thus, even if processing for not receiving data transmitted to a printer via a certain interface is desired, such processing cannot be performed.
In order to solve the aforementioned problem, an unused interface may be physically eliminated or an interface circuit may be disconnected. However, if processing for simply making an interface unusable is performed, for example, an unused interface cannot be used for any purpose. Thus, a function of a printer cannot be satisfactorily implemented.